Residential shade sails are functional, value for money and provide an eye-catching element to your property. A shade sail can be added to your backyard area, over the pool, on the side of your house, over a vehicle parking space and over decking.

The tough shade cloth provides much needed protection from the weather and it extends your useful outdoor space. If you’re thinking of installing your own shade sail, here are a few things to consider before you begin.

  • What shape shade sail? Some options are triangle, square, rectangle and you can attach multiple pieces together to cover a larger area and provide more visual impact
  • Size of the shade sail you need. How big is your decking?/li>
  • Location of the intended shade sail area. Are there enough attachments points nearby?/li>
  • The sun direction. Your shade sail needs to be placed at an angle to give enough protection
  • Is the ground nearby tough enough for fixing posts?
Once you have worked out all the points above, you can move on to install your shade sail.

Step by Step Guide to Install Your Shade Sail

1.Measure the Area

This is the most important step of your shade sail installation. You need to make sure the measurements allow your shade sail to be tensile and not sag down, especially if rain falls. Remember to take into consideration the position of your shade sail regarding the sun and how you want the shade sail to block light flow into your home.

2.Plan Your Anchor Points

Are there enough anchor points around your decking like trees, walls and other buildings? If not, you’ll have to build your own with poles, wooden posts or bamboo. You must make sure these anchor points are strong enough to hold the sail tight and not fall down during bad weather.

3.Dig Holes for Your Anchor Posts

Measure your shade sail and mark your anchor positions. An easy way to do this is to lay your shade cloth out and mark the positions where you need anchors. If you have buildings or trees that can be used – great! If not, mark the spot in the ground and dig holes where you need to erect posts. A rule of thumb is to add 20cm to each post position, which allows for shade sail tightening. Dig your anchor post hole down to at least 50cm deep.

4.Fix Your Anchor Posts Securely

Prime your anchor posts with a metal or timber primer to help them live a long life. If you are a using a timber anchor, remember pests like termites can be a problem. Place your anchor posts into the hole and add in your pre made fence post mix. Use another timber post leaned against your main post, to keep it upright until the mix is fully set.

5.Add Shade Sail Hooks and Attach Your Shade Sail

Once your anchor poles are fixed, screw in your hooks and attachments that come with the shade sail. String up your shade sail and start tightening it by turning the hooks. Keep tightening until all the sag is gone from your shade sail. You can use galvanized wire or metal chains if for some reason the shade cloth doesn’t quite reach the poles.

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